Once again, an entire week has slipped by and I never had the chance to post or share recipes here. I promise, I have so many recipes and they are coming soon! We started our spring schedule, which is a little more chaotic than I had hoped. Soccer practice goes until dark, track is twice a week with meets on Sunday and Saturdays consist of multiple out-of-town soccer games. Throw multiple piano practices and ballet into the mix and I pretty much have no free-time. But life is good and we are healthy so I can't complain.

I hope everyone enjoys their Easter weekend!

1. Heartburn, Acid Reflux and Candida. The other day I came across this article and immediately saved it. Jonas tested positive for Candida and once this yeast overgrowth was treated his symptoms started to ease up.

2. Researchers May Have Finally Identified The Cause Of Crohn’s Disease. When analyzing samples, researchers found high amounts of E. coli, Serratia marcescens and Candida tropicalis in the patients with Crohn’s— significantly more so than in the other two groups. Dr. Mahmoud Ghannoum, a professor and director of the Center for Medical Mycology at Case Western Reserve University and lead author of the study, explained in a press release: “We already know that bacteria, in addition to genetic and dietary factors, play a major role in causing Crohn’s disease. Essentially, patients with Crohn’s have abnormal immune responses to these bacteria, which inhabit the intestines of all people. While most researchers focus their investigations on these bacteria, few have examined the role of fungi, which are also present in everyone’s intestines.”

3. The Hippies Have Won. Is it possible that the health trends of produce based meals, grain and veggie bowls and fermentation are more than just a movement? I sure hope this "trend" is here to stay because it's a lifestyle and way of living for our family. Recent scientific findings on the microbiome and the notion that health may be affected by bacteria and other microbes living in your intestinal tract, which are in turn influenced by what you eat. “People are recognizing that this important biodiversity inside of us has been diminished and are seeking strategies to restore it for immune function, digestion, mental health and everything else,” says author of Wild Fermentation, Sandor Katz. “So people are seeking out bacteria-rich foods.”